The Tutoring and Learning Center, located in the
basement of the Albertson Center for Learning Resources, has expanded its hours
and programs in an effort to support the university’s goal of making sure that
student are able to complete all of their courses and graduate in a timely
manner.

The Tutoring and Learning Center is a peer tutorial
group, offering academic assistance in the writing labs in 42 majors and minors
from over 130 trained student tutors. Tutoring is offered in several different
forms: one-on-one tutoring; group tutoring; and the latest addition,
supplemental instruction. Tutors help with writing papers, lab reports, using
computer software and even with letters of complaint and personal statements.
Most of the services offered are free to students.

“We have pockets of funding that cover one-on-one
tutorials in math, science, accounting and some econ classes,” said Maureen
Giblin, director of the Center. “Students who are on the low-income list do not
have to pay. Non-traditional students, students working through the Vets club,
and students of color do not have to pay—turns out that very few students
actually have to pay the fee.”

For the few students who do not fall into one of the
funded categories, there is a $9 charge for a one-hour session in math and
science tutoring. Last year, out of the 2,248 students who were tutored in the
Center, only 75 had to pay for one-on-one tutoring.

“When you come in here, you can expect to learn more
than just the facts from a study guide,” said Joey Collard, a forestry major
who has worked in the Center for four years. “You’ll find new ways to learn,
new ways to study, and new ways to apply that knowledge.”

Students that are hired as tutors must have a grade
point average of 3.5 or higher and complete a 300-level writing emphasis
education course. Students are brought in from many different majors so that
help can be offered in all areas needed.

“My favorite thing about working down here is that I
get to take what I learn in the classroom and help other students get
incorporated into the discipline,” said Devin Christensen, a master consultant
in the writing lab. “It’s more than just teaching them content. It’s about
teaching them how to be students in my field.”

The Student Government Association supplies funding for
group tutoring, meaning students no longer have to pay the $10 fee that used to
apply. Other funding comes from Diversity College Access and also in the form
of institutional support.

“We did get some money for extended hours. We are now
open until 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. That funding came from the
provost. It’s one-time money, and we are now hoping to make that permanent so we
can stay open.”

Giblin stated that Center has been full. Even with the
extended hours, the demand keeps going up. There has been a 24 percent increase
in individual tutoring in the last two years and a 59 percent increase in-group
tutorials.

Some of the extra funding also went to cover one-on-one
tutoring for students with learning disabilities, the Reading in the
Disciplines program, and the new supplemental instruction program, where the
tutor attends lectures with the students and meets with the students twice a
week to discuss the material.

“We choose classes with the highest D’s/fail/withdraw
(DFW) rates,” Giblin said. “We get that list from Records and Registration. It
has data that is collected all the time on campus, and we can identify what courses
have the highest risk. Any class with a DFW rate of 20 percent or higher—those
are the classes that we target for supplemental instruction.”

The Center received funding for that program for this
and next year but hopes to get continued funding for the program. As Giblin
pointed out, most of that funding goes directly into the pockets of students in
the form of salary.

“We are one of the largest student employers on
campus,” Giblin said. “We have wonderfully talented people on this campus.”

The Center was recently voted the best place to work on
campus.

“The Center is a beautiful gathering of all the best
and brightest on campus,” Christensen said. “Often times, really intelligent
folks work down here, people who are super nerdy like me and who really love
school work. Really, I think that was the biggest attraction.”